Turning High Calorie Foods into Low Calorie Meals...

You want to cut down on calories, but still eat a healthy variety of foods... so how to do it the safe and smart way?

Here’s a one-day meal swap to replace your high energy density foods with low energy density foods.
Make substitutions like these everyday and you could lose two pounds a week.

Breakfast
Instead of:
1 cup grapefruit juice
1 (5.5 ounce) carrot-raisin muffin
(660 calories)

Try having:
½ grapefruit
2 low-fat waffles
4 ounces light yogurt
½ raspberries
2 teaspoons chopped almonds
(320 calories)
 

Tips:
Most muffins are packed with calories from sugar and fat. Choose low-calorie, low energy density waffles, and you can add yogurt, nuts, and whole fruit (which is more satisfying and has fewer calories than juice).

Lunch
Instead of:
6-inch ham sub with mayonnaise
12 ounce cola
(590 calories)

Try having:
Ham and veggie wrap with honey mustard
1 cup fat-free milk
1 wedge (11 ounces) watermelon
(420 calories)
 

Tips:
Choose a high-fiber, low-calorie wrap over bread- and substitute veggies for some of the meat to make a mega-sandwich. Soda adds calories without making you feel fuller; fat-free milk triggers receptors to tell the brain you’ve had enough.
 

Dinner
Instead of:
Barbequed spareribs
½ cup baked beans
(935 calories)
 

Try having:
5 ounces spice-rubbed pork tenderloin
1 cup black bean and tomato salsa
Grilled red peppers and zucchini
(500 calories)

Tips:
Fatty cuts of meat are high energy density; leaner cuts have fewer calories. Keep lean meats slim but tasty by using low-fat spice rubs and marinades to add flavor.

Dessert
Instead of:
1 scoop strawberry ice cream
(240 calories)

Try having:
2 scoops raspberry Sorbet
(160 calories)

Tips:
Ice cream and sorbet contains lots of water, but since the sorbet is fat free, it is much lower in calories and in energy density.